Health Benefits of Green Tea
June 19, 2006 by Heather R.
Filed under Women's Health
Ancient Chinese Proverb
Do you drink green tea? At this very moment … [sip, swallow] … I’m drinking a steaming mug of green tea. It’s not something I do on a regular basis. But last night I was talking with some people who have replaced their morning coffee with green tea. As your roving Lively Women blogger, I thought, Hmmm…Might not hurt to give it a try.
Although the thought of foregoing my much-loved morning java seems out of the question, I thought I could at least steep a small pot of green tea and see how it makes me feel.
I’ve read tons of articles about the awesome health benefits of green tea, which has been gaining in popularity because of its abililty to boost brain health, increase metabolism, and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.
In this article, The Miracle of Green Tea, here’s why scientific research is starting to catch up with ancient Chinese wisdom:
The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.
If you want more in-depth articles about how green tea may inhibit the growth of certain cancers, jump right into this series at The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
What if you don’t like the way it tastes? An alternative is to take green tea extract. This allows you to get a super-potent dose of green tea - either in capsule form or as a liquid that can be mixed with water.
[Holding my mug of green tea up to the computer] Cheers, to your good health! or as the French say, À votre santé!
It might be a touch too much caffeine, but I have a strong cup of coffee in the morning and a pot of Chinese oolong tea in the afternoon. Japanese sencha is lovely too! When was the last time you had some proper sencha?
Oh, it’s been so many years. I haven’t even heard that word in over a decade! Of course, here in the South, we drink iced tea — with LOTS of sugar. Maybe I’ll start scouring the market in search of some good sencha.